A Tale of New Hearts
by Sonanoka21093
Summary: Just... pretend Sumireko isn't a thing, okay? This concept is so freaking old, but I figured I should get to it. This is a sequel to A Tale of Two Hearts, and so I suggest you read that beforehand. Helpful reading would also be Project Omega and Memoir of a Little Lost Umbrella, though it's not as directly connected as with the first one.
1. Alone in the Dark

Disclaimer: The author is sorry. She has been writing CYOAs on another site and still is doing so.

* * *

"Well, that was... different." Maribel couldn't help but sigh, looking about her surrounding. Her eyes, of course, locked onto her very best friend of all: Renko. "Ohh, good! You made it through." The blonde gave her friend a big smile, and offered a hand. She could only vaguely make out the familiar borders of her friend. Thankfully Renko could likely just plain see, making things simpler. It was as dark as a moonless night and twice as rocky.

"Feel kinda woozy after that..." Renko, of course, took the hand; she honestly felt she needed the help. She stumbled as she stood, even nearly falling back down, but Mari helped steady her.

Mari looked around a bit, looking for the hole they fell out of. The _gap_ they fell out of. "Seems we're stranded, Renko..." There was a touch of worry to her voice. The border they entered this dark place through had appeared to close on the way in, but she felt the need to brighten her brunette comrade's spirits if not the way. "But, at least we have our health, right?" Not that she believed her own words. This place felt oddly... _oppressive_ — as if just being here could snuff their lives at a moment's notice.

"I'll get back to you on that after I cover the floor in dinner..." Renko didn't seem to be in the best shape after the trip through the gap, which Mari found odd. The first trip had been simple enough, and even had led to such tasty food.

"Shh, shh. Just rest a moment to settle your stomach, okay?"

Renko could only nod, leaving Maribel to be a glorified pillow with sighing action. As she lamented the rock below her digging into her shins, she stroked her resting friend's head. She wasn't a fan of sitting on jagged rocks, but she would deal with that if her friend wasn't at 100%.

They might just need her at 100% after all, what with the concerning borders hidden within the dark. She might be blind in this dark, but she could sense a border between suffering and pleasure, and no small amount. A thousand thousand people were crying out in pain.

Or pleasure.

She wasn't quite sure which she prefered between the two, though the idea of mass suffering _or_ mass pleasure were equally disturbing, to be honest.

Still, aside from the torture/orgy going on far off in the distance, the other borders were far less concerning. Save for the ones directly behind her, of course. Because _of course_ they would be. There was an elephant in the room that likely thought itself quite hidden, but she knew well of its existence. Although, the oddest part was how it wasn't quite normal

After all, the borders of wellness and unwellness, arachnids and insects, and male and female came together to make for a very odd picture, as large as it was. A sick, male insect? A healthy female spider? Or was she seeing something far worse than these things made them out to be?

Of course, this question was answered when a feminine voice called out from the dark, "Little girl, have you any idea how much trouble you're i—"

"Shh." Mari was not about to disturb Renko. She seemed to had fallen asleep, and though her shins were killing her, she wasn't about to bother her.

The voice sounded again, sounding perplexed. "I... wasn't expecting that sort of reply."

"Shh."

There was a very concerning chitter, as well as a rustling of cloth, followed by what sounded like the whump of something falling to the floor. "You realize this isn't wise to be—"

"Quiet."

From below, the brunette began to stir, saying, "Not so loud, Mari..."

Off to the side, the woman seemed to be snickering. Mari, of course, gave her a flat look. The woman swiftly corrected, "To the left." She then adjusted her aim according to the instruction, earning more snickering still. "Still, what are humans even doing down here?"

Mari's mouth only froze a moment as it opened. Humans. To have to specify meant that something wasn't quite right here, which explained the way every alarm bell in her head was a blaring like a siren. "...Where are we?"

She could practically _hear_ the grin on the increasingly frightening woman's voice. "Hell, of course." Mari just stared at the woman incredulously. "Well, okay. Not Hell Hell." Mari let out a breath she was holding. "At least, not anymore." Once more that look of pure shock returned. "Of course, they moved locations before my time. Left behind probably at least a thousand evil spirits, too!" ...Or a thousand thousand.

"Do you delight in frightening me?"

"Yeah, actually. It's what youkai do, y'know?"

This earned the chittery woman a blank stare for a bit, before Mari asked, "Are you an arachnid or an insect?"

"Err..." The probably arthropodal woman seemed taken aback by the question. "Spider. Earth spider, to be exact." After what felt like an eternity, she eventually asked, "How'd you figure it out? Kinda pitch black in here, y'know?" So she can't see either? Good. ...Wait, didn't she correct the direction she looked?

"Well..." Mari didn't feel like a lie would go over well, so a half truth would do. "...You've been chittering quite a lot since we met, you see."

"Huh. Big, uhh... leap of faith there. It'd be kind of rude to ask a crow or cat that. Guess today's your lucky day, huh?"

Mari couldn't help but mutter, "For a given meaning..."

Mari felt more than a little doomed after all, to be lost in this old Hell.


	2. A Tall Glass of Spiders

Disclaimer: The author is still sorry. For every update of this, several for those CYOA stories are typical.

* * *

By the time that Renko awoke, Mari and her new friend had moved her elsewhere.

Renko was more than a little concerned by the liberal slathering of spiders, however. "Ohh! So sleeping beauty awakens, does she?"

Renko looked to this new voice, finding Mari to be sitting next to a thankfully fairly distinct blonde. Yellow eyes, though, looked back. This was her greatest concern up until one of her golden buttons blinked. "Err... Mari, who's this?"

Mari bluntly answered, "A spider youkai."

"Huhwha?"

The new acquaintance helpfully answered as well, "A spider youkai." There was pride in her voice.

"Y'know, saying it twice doesn't help any."

The spider teased, "Ohh, I know. But it _is_ a bit funny, seeing your reaction." She couldn't help but snicker at the brunette's expense.

Mari rolled her eyes a bit, saying, "You were a bit out of it after the party, so we were taken here. ...She promised she won't eat us, for what it's worth."

Renko was more than a little concerned about the claim of them on the menu. "Eat us?"

Yamame chimed in, "Ohh, yes. It's not terribly uncommon for youkai to do so. I hear good things about fresh outsiders~"

Renko gulped involuntarily, though Mari assured, "She also likes scaring the pants off people."

Yamame chimed once more, "Making dresses, too."

This earned her more than one odd look, this time, when Mari echoed, "Making dresses?"

"Ohh, yes. There's little to do here but play with my butt~" At the fiery blushes on the two girls, she helpfully pointed out, "As in my silk." Renko could have sworn that she saw more than two eyes rolling in the dark.

Letting out a long sigh, Renko asked, "So, what is it that we can do, then?"

"Hmm?"

Mari helpfully explained, "We're a bit lost. Is there any way out of here?"

The spider's eyes lit up. "Ahh!" With a smile, she answered, "You can climb the tunnel for a few miles~"

Renko looked up, while Mari asked incredulously, "A... a few _miles_?"

"Why, yes! Mind you, I could take you past the webs, as, well... my people do tend to get hungry." She giggled a bit at the further worry on Renko's eyes as she looked around at the hundreds of kinds of spiders lining the everything.

Mari, however, was blessed in her ignorance. "Spiders?"

"Hmm? Why, yes. The ones—"

Renko cut her off. "Don't." Yamame's eyes turned to the brunette. "She might start freaking out."

"...Why might I start freaking out...?"

Yamame smiled, saying, "Well, if you insist. Still, that would still leave a mile of climbing to the surface~"

Renko nodded, saying, "Well, Mari's probably blind as a bat, so I don't see that going too well."

Mari looked between the two. "Seriously, why might I freak out?" The spiders around and on her seemed like they would most certainly give the girl a heart attack.

Ignoring her once more, Yamame chuckled. "Well, yes, I could see that being an issue. Humans do tend to find scaling rock to be difficult, from what I've seen. Not only that, but they rely on their eyes so very much. Not that such a thing is _bad_ , but, well... I was practically blind, ever so long ago. I'm no jumping spider, after all. _Their_ eyes are _quite_ good, whereas the norm is practically being blind~"

Renko nodded, while Mari huffed in annoyance at being ignored, saying, "Seriously, what is it I can't see?!"

Yamame began, "Why, sp—"

Renko cut her off again, "Nothing you want to see, Mari."

Mari blinked twice. Sp? What began with an sp? Sprigs? No, no. That seemed unlikely.

Yamame couldn't help but chuckle at her expense. "She truly is blind as a bat, isn't she?"

Renko nodded, confirming, "I only can see because of my eyes, myself." Renko couldn't help the chuckle that came on, though Mari didn't appreciate it.

Sp... Spruce trees seemed equally unlikely. Why would that concern her, after all? Something spare, maybe? But what spare thing would concern? ...Spare dresses? She did say she played with her silk...

Yamame asked, "While I think most are limited to their eyes' capabilities, does that mean you won't be climbing?"

Renko shook her head, explaining, "Nah. I could do it pretty easy, but only way Mari would make it out is if she had some light and climbing gear." After a moment, she joked, "Or I somehow carried her somehow, I guess."

Mari huffed at that comment, saying, "Not everyone can scale walls with ease, Renko." What else would a spider have to spare? Other than _them_ , of course. She doubted a wordplay would fit into such a situation, however. ...Maybe it wasn't spare after all.

Yamame beamed, saying, "Ohh? You can scale walls?" This was partial to her interests.

Renko nodded, "Nothing too extreme, but yeah. I make it my business to be able to get out of sticky situations."

Yamame couldn't help but chuckle at that. Sticky situations... Ohh, that was funny, indeed. "Ohh, do we have a comedian here?"

"Hmm? What do you— Ahh. Right. Spider."

That word struck Mari with an epiphany. A sp word like no other before it. She looked left and looked right, and quickly realized quite what was surrounding her. A seemingly infinite number of the exact same border. The border that had concerned her before. Insects and arachnids.

She was surrounded by spiders.

She was _covered_ in spiders.

All Mari could do was whimper a bit in horror, ignored by her friend and the friendly youkai.


	3. Dark Descent

Disclaimer: These aren't even disclaimers, just me saying I'm a terrible person. ...Ignoring that this now actually _is_ a disclaimer.

* * *

While Mari was busy having an existential crisis, Yamame asked, "She okay?"

Renko answered simply, "Honestly? ...Probably freaking out because of the spiders."

The giant spider herself idly commented, "True enough, spiders _do_ suck like that." After a moment of her people staring at her, she added, "What? We tend to bumble all over people. Just the truth." She gave a shrug, her skirt shifting a bit in a similar motion.

Renko watched her friend, who was erratically eyeing the arachnids. She knew that Mari was blind as a bat in this dark, in that she could see their existence more than actually see them. As such, she started carefully taking the dozens of spiders off of her.

Yamame rose a brow, complementing, "Brave one, huh? Most of their bites'd probably ki—"

"Don't remind her."

"Right, right." The spider gave a chuckle. "Still, nice of you to 'rescue' her like that." She even gave finger quotes, putting extra emphasis the lack of any real danger.

"It's what I do." It wasn't much longer before the girl was clear of spiders, which Renko followed up with three full-force slaps on her friend's cheeks. "Snap out of it, Mari."

Maribel jolted from the pain. "Oww! Renko, what was that for?!"

"You were looking about ready to soil yourself."

"I was not."

"Yes you were."

"No I _didn't_!"

Sighing, Renko pointed out, "You were completely unresponsive with terror. You looked about ready to scream, what with the spi—"

" _I can't hear you, Renko!_ "

Renko just rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever." Sighing, she looked back to the spider, asking, "So, where are we?"

The spider ohh so helpfully repeated, "Old Hell."

"More broadly."

"The underground?"

"Broader."

"Gensoukyou." The blonde spider gave a chuckle, finding this to be amusing

This got the attention of both the girls. The land of illusion itself? After taking that in, Renko asked, "...We're under Gensoukyou?"

The spider helpfully nodded. "Indeed we are. Up would take you to Gensoukyou proper."

Now Mari was the one curious. "And down...?"

The spider smiled, answering, "Why, a few hundred feet over the Ancient Capital!"

At once, they both echoed, "Ancient Capital...?"

"Yup! City where the oni live."

Mari asked, a bit worried, "Oni...?"

Yamame gave her an odd look. "You just going to keep repeating what I say?"

Renko jokingly parroted, "We're just going to keep repeating what you say."

This earned a few eye rolls from the spider. "Fine, fine. I take it, as you aren't going up, you'll need help going down?"

Renko and Mari shared a glance, before nodding in affirmation. If the frying pan isn't an option, the oven would have to do.

The spider chuckled, saying, "Well, try not to scream too much on the way down, in that case~" Grabbing them both around the waist, she started carrying them. She seemed oddly tall, as their legs were dangling.

Mari asked, worried, "What do you mean don't screAAAAAAM?!"

And then the three of them took a nosedive down a rocky pit, taking a full ten seconds of falling to clear the tunnel. Renko, in an effort to silence her friend, locked lips with her. Perhaps not the best way to go about it, but it worked just fine; Mari was silent as the grave, if red as a star. She neither pulled away, nor did she lean into the kiss. She did close her eyes, however, but whether this was due to the wind or the kiss itself is up for debate.

With the spring of the silken bungee cord, they narrowly avoided becoming pancakes, though Mari did yelp with alarm into Renko's mouth. After a few more bounces, which caused Mari to wince for two very particular reasons, they flipped once more, ending up on their feet.

Or, at least, Yamame did.

"There! Good luck out there!" The spider dropped the two unceremoniously, before returning to the strand of silk, grabbing the end. "If you two don't die by the end of the day, you're welcome at my kingdom any time!" Idly, she asked herself, "Or is it queendom?" Chuckling, she said "Semantics. Still, good luck! Ohh, and be sure to avoid any bridges."

"Why should... we...?" Mari sighed, as the spider was already skittering up her line with the end in tow. "Well... I suppose we're on our own. ...In hell."

" _Old_ hell."

"Is there really a difference?"

Renko could only shrug. "Shall we?"

With a grand sigh, Mari began walking forward. Renko didn't have the heart to tell her she couldn't really lead, what with the issue of her being mostly blind.

She _did_ , however, stop her before she walked off a cliff. "Gak!" Mari coughed a bit. "Renko, what was that for...?" She tugged at her collar and rubbed her throat.

"You nearly walked off a cliff." Maribel blushed at her blunder, before Renko offered, "Maybe I should lead?"

"But I see a lot of something in the distance." Although, it was also in the direction of the massive amount of pleasure and/or pain. "Maybe you could lead us that way?"

Sighing, Renko relented. "Fine, fine. Just point the direction if I go off course.

With that, they set out into the depths of the Underground, and away from the city. Away from the bridge, and away from the oni. Away from the bucket's well, and away from the spider's cavern. Instead, they headed for the hell of Old Hell, and those who preside over it.

Chireiden was to be their destination.


	4. Home Base

4

Disclaimer: I'm disclaiming this disclaimer, as it's no disclaimer of mine. Also, sorry this chapter took so long. I have four stories to write if you include this.

* * *

"Uhh..." Mari's eyes looked about the sky. "...Renko?"

"Yeah?"

Mari looked back to her. "M-maybe we should turn around."

Renko, of course, looked at her oddly. "We just spent hours getting here, and now you want to leave? Why...?" Behind her, Mari could see spirits flying left and flying right.

Mari swallowed, answering, "It's a bit scary."

Renko rolled her eyes, retorting, "Do you really want to camp outside after giant flaming skulls zipping about?" Before Mari could take back her decision to turn back, Renko added, "As big as their mouths are, you want to sleep when they might sneak up on us?" Interrupting Mari as she opened her mouth with fright, she asked, "Wasn't this _your_ idea?"

"Stop, stop!"

Renko and Mari equally flinched at the blonde's shout, before turning their eyes skyward. Ghostly skulls of all shapes and sizes stared back.

Mari took a cautious step towards the building.

Renko grabbed her friend's arm, taking her along as she began running. In that same moment, the skulls started dive bombing towards them. They wouldn't make it. Mari knew they wouldn't. Renko defied that fate, but likewise knew that it wasn't likely to succeed. The skulls were faster than they, and their distance from the two shorter than their own destination. As the screams of tortured souls became akin to a deafening dirge, they slowed to a crawl at the cry of a cat.

"Nyahaha~" It didn't take the two to realize their fanged doom had stopped short of biting. "What are a couple humans doin' down here, huh~?"

Renko looked to the flicking tails of a predator, whereas Mari saw the boundary of cat and human in the dark. Renko noticed the gleaming grin of teeth sharper than a human's. More cat-like, if one wanted to be on the nose. Mari, on the other hand, saw the difference of hunger and satisfaction, as well as some odd ones less simple than the spider's from before.

Snickering, the cat asked, "Cat got your tongue?" She grinned all the wider at getting at least one groan from the two, emanating from the brunette.

Mari, being blind to those things that weren't so bathed in blue flame, asked, "Am I missing something?" The border gave her a hunch, though the Spider gave her a warning she would take to heart.

The cat chuckled a bit, answering, "A lot of things, I imagine. Humans tend to miss a lot that goes on under their cute little noses..." The kasha let out a dark chuckle. "Or see that which is right in front of their eyes?" Mari huffed at the jab.

Renko, of course, rolled her own. "Be that as it may, not all eyes are created equal, even among humans."

The kasha's obviously cat-like gaze cut back to the brunette's gaze. "I suppose that's true enough. After all, you can see, _can't_ you..." Her cheeks split in a cheshire grin.

Once more, Renko rolled her eyes. "Can we go? You don't seem to be eating us, and _they_ don't seem to be eating us, so, unless someone plans to eat us, we need to find shelter."

Orin was more than a bit taken aback by the question while the ghastly skulls shared looks amongst themselves. Either this human had a lot of balls, or had lost her marbles. She could see her, and saw the ears and tails, yet seemed as blase about her as if greeting a neighbor.

Orin wasn't sure how to feel about failing as a youkai, though felt just a little bit happy as a person. After all, rare was it that she met a human, let alone one that didn't hate her. ...Or, a _living_ one, at least. Dead ones were a dime a dozen, and in fact were something not dissimilar to friends of a sort. Or stalkers. ...Angsty teens? Seriously, the souls of the damned could bitch like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes she felt a little jealous of Okuu up until her chest stared at her with the intensity of a thousand suns for the umpteenth time.

And then she didn't feel so jealous.

This led Orin to claim, "You're an odd human."

Mari agreed, "She's a very odd human."

Renko nodded along, claiming, "I'm told that a lot."

Mari sighed, pointing out, "You're not supposed to agree, Renko."

"I didn't agree. Simply stated how often I'm told it."

"You didn't disagree."

The kasha couldn't help but chuckle. "You two sound like a married couple." Renko gave her a flat look, and Mari glared off to a particularly detestable patch of air. "What?" She gave the two a grin like the cat that got the canary.

Mari huffed for her part. "If you're just going to tease us, I think we'll be going..."

Orin chuckled, pointing out, "That any way to talk to someone that just saved your skin?" Skin looking more than creamy enough to keep around. Maybe Master needed some new pets.

Mari sighed, before saying, "So long as this doesn't lead up to you eating us, thanks."

Renko nodded, saying. "Agreed."

"Well, maybe not _eating_ you." Orin snickered a bit. She had to admit that brunette was entertaining if nothing else. Might cheer up Okuu.

Mari rolled her eyes, continuing, "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have nowhere to stay that doesn't involve being covered in deadly spiders. So, if you'll excuse us miss scary... _whatever_ you are, we need to go beg the owner of this place—"

"By the way, I live there~" Orin unsubtly pointed at the palace behind her with a thumb, not that she was seen by the one speaking.

"—"if you'll let us in." Mari's hands slapped together as if to pray.

Orin let out a laugh. "Me? The owner? Fat chance!"

Mari looked at her oddly. "Then... what? Wife to them?"

The cat's grin grew wider. "Ohh, if only. No, you're way cold. I'm her pet! But it's just fine if you come in~" After all, Master spoke of guests.

Renko asked, "We don't have to put on collars, right?"

"Only if you want to~"

"Noted."

Mari looked her friend like she was crazy. "Renko, are you seriously gonna act as if there's nothing wrong with that?!"

Renko helpfully pointed out, "She looks happy enough, so I'd call that a good sign. Name's Renko, and this is my friend, Mari."

"Name's Rin, but my friends call me Orin."

Mari asked, "Renko, are we really on first name basis with her? We nearly got _eaten on their lawn_!" After a moment, she added in the vague direction of the kasha, "And it's Maribel."

Shrugging, the brunette answered, "Nice to meet you, Orin. It's a pleasure."

"Ohh, the pleasure's all mine..."

Mari grumbled at being brushed off, muttering, "And she's creepy, too..."

Orin teased, "What do they say about beggars and choosers?"

And with that, the all too cool brunette, the flippant redhead and the annoyed blonde made their way for the great halls of Chireiden. However, the master of this old hell was absent, having headed on an outing to the surface. But why would one so shunned and so thoroughly rejected by the world above dare travel there?

To the very _heart_ of the human lands: the Human Village itself.


	5. Hiding in Plain Sight

Disclaimer: I love switching perspective.

* * *

"Sis, why not just make it yourself? Okuu has milk and eggs, right?"

Satori rolled her third eye, though her more mundane pair instead looked to her 'younger' sister, if only younger by technicality. "Birds don't produce milk, Koishi. We've been over this."

Letting out a sigh, the physically older sibling looked to the bright blue sky. "I do wonder why you went along with it, though."

"Yes, I'm aware how fishy _that_ woman can be. That her mind is so closed doesn't help her case, either."

Koishi gave her physically younger sibling a flat look. "Then why trust her?"

Looking skyward, Satori could only answer, "Her eyes had an uncanny honesty to them. ...And, to be honest, the prospect _is_ exciting."

This time, it was Koishi's turn to roll her eyes, though she wasn't so reserved as to only use her third. "Still, what even _is_ a cake?"

"We shall find out. We need only find a baker." Of course, she could instead pick her brain, but such a thing is hardly necessary. After all, she did have a recipe book, though was lacking in the ingredients. No amount of mind reading could fix that.

"Still, what are the odds that there are no oni bakers?"

"To be honest? They are more interested in drinking their meals, so I can understand the lack, no matter how inconvenient." Koishi gave her sister a nice long stare, earning a sigh from her sister. "Koishi, I... don't blame you for what you did. A thousand times did I, too, consider your choice. But I knew that, were I to, Hell would go to hell, so to speak. Were I to, the pets would suffer in turn. ...Were I to, we would never see one another again in all likelihood."

"And so you stayed."

"And so I _endured_."

"...Still..."

The smaller girl's arteries wrapped her less experienced eldest sister in a tight embrace. "I don't think anyone would call my life full, staying glued to one spot." Giving her sister a wry smile, she teased, "Now, am I going to have to risk getting tangled, or will you cheer up?"

"You're terrible, sis." She did chuckle, regardless of the claim, however. "...Still, are you sure this will work?"

"It should be nothing of great difficulty. Just follow my lead, and we should fit in quite well."

"Ignoring your slippers."

"Ignoring my slippers." Satori rolled her eyes in full this time.

Before long, the two had arrived at their destination: the Human Village, and heart of the human population. Hardly a metropolis or even a city or town — in fact, while in better condition, it was smaller than the capital of the Underground — but it was the very heart of the human population of Gensoukyou regardless. As the two approached the gate, the guards didn't bat an eye at the black-haired younger sister to the brunette eldest, simply allowing them through. Of course, this wasn't their natural hair color — or, at least, it no longer was.

"They didn't suspect a thing at least."

Koishi's words earned a nod from Satori. "I did say as such."

"I can't help that I'm more than a little stronger than we were back then. Manipulating the sight of so many at once feels like it should be a distant dream..." The streets were bustling after all, where as their birthplace had been fairly sparse.

From that point, they continued on in near silence, breaking it only to ask for directions here and there. Koishi was nervous, though Satori assured her everything was to be just fine with a gentle squeeze of her hand and a smile. Koishi squeezed back, returning the smile.

Their destination in sight, they headed for the bakery. However, the door was locked, and they knew not where to go from there. The local minds told of tiredness, however, meaning they were likely early. As such, they chose to await the owner and hope.


End file.
